Forest Sciences and Biology

Types of Degrees Forest Sciences and Biology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many forest sciences & biology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	180
Master’s Degree	123
Doctor’s Degree	43
Graduate Certificate	6
Basic Certificate	1

What Forest Sciences and Biology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to forest sciences and biology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Forest Sciences and Biology Majors

Forest Sciences and Biology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Forest Sciences and Biology Majors

When studying forest sciences and biology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Forest Sciences and Biology Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a forest sciences and biology student include the following:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a Forest Sciences and Biology Major?

People with a forest sciences and biology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Foresters	4.9%	$61,410
Forestry & Conservation Science Professors	4.5%	$86,900
Range Managers	6.3%	$61,310

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Forest Sciences and Biology?

This major attracts more men than women. About 78% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of forest sciences and biology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1
Black or African American	2
Hispanic or Latino	13
White	153
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	11

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Forest Sciences and Biology

Some careers associated with forest sciences and biology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to forest sciences and biology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	2.1%
Some College Courses	4.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.4%
Bachelor’s Degree	44.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.9%
Master’s Degree	3.2%
Doctoral Degree	29.1%
Post-Doctoral Training	13.6%

Online Forest Sciences and Biology Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	12	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	10	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Forest Sciences and Biology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to forest sciences and biology.

Major	Number of Grads
Forestry, General	943
Forest Technology/Technician	304
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management	299
Urban Forestry	111
Forestry, Other	103
Wood Science & Wood Products/Pulp & Paper Technology	87
Forest Resources Production & Management	43

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Bureau of Land Management under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.